Let's bid adieu to the most overused words of 2012

Every New Year's Eve, English enthusiasts at Lake Superior State University (LSSU) release their list of words to forever banish "for misuse, overuse and general uselessness." People who own pens that only write strongly-worded letters spend the year collecting terms that start out as pet peeves and gradually become the cause of medical issues, like stress, heart problems, emotional overeating and strongly-worded letters. So, nerds of the world, join me by ringing in 2013 with some highlights from this year's collection of banned words.

Fiscal Cliff: Consider that the cliff overlooks the Canyon of Desperation, which the River of Financial Irresponsibility runs through. I'm looking forward to reaching the Butte of Complacency in this rhetoric landscape.

Kick the can down the road: Who hasn't enjoyed this pastime, whether being wooed by a young Nicolas Cage, predicting the weather or joining the political elite? But take it from Michael Raczko of Swanton, Ohio: "Much the same as 'put on the back burner,' these two phrases still have heat and are still in the road. Kick this latest phrase down the road."

YOLO: This stands for "You Only Life Once." Sure. Can't argue with that. But many of the people who submitted this term to LSSU pointed out that it's just an excuse to do something risky or unconventional, like eating fried beer while standing in a pool full of grape jello that's suspended over a pit of tigers that are all really angry about high cholesterol and the impending doom surrounding the fiscal cliff. YOLO!

Guru and Trending: We can thank "Tipping Point" author Malcolm Gladwell for these two. I also think "tipping point" should be on this list somewhere.

Check out more of this year's banished words here. Or, feel especially erudite/superior, and peruse the archive of banished words, which have stood the test of time and remain completely annoying.